Sounders FC adds Sammy Ochoa

RENTON, WASH. - Seattle Sounders FC has added former U.S. youth international forward Sammy Ochoa, 24, to the roster through Major League Soccer's allocation process, the team announced today. He is expected to join the team next week.

Seattle obtained the Chicago Fire's No. 4 position in the allocation order in exchange for its natural third-round pick in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft.

Ochoa signed with MLS earlier this week after spending the past five years at Mexico's Estudiantes Tecos in Guadalajara. He had trained with Sounders FC in June, and scored the lone goal in a 1-0 Reserve League win over the L.A. Galaxy on June 13.

A member of Sigi Schmid's U.S. team at the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup, Ochoa started three of the four matches in the tournament. He later was part of the U.S. U-23 National Team in the friendlies played prior to the 2008 Olympic Games.

"We're happy to have Sammy join our team because it gives us a little more depth at forward," said Schmid. "He did well when he was here on his trial. Now it's just a matter of getting him fit and getting his game legs and he could help us."

"He's a good back-to-goal player and a good finisher around the box," Schmid added. "Those are qualities that he's had. In all his time in Mexico he was in and out of the lineup because they had so many head coaches so it was tough to establish a rhythm."

Born in Mexico, Ochoa later moved to Riverside, Calif. and attended Riverside Poly High School. He is a U.S. citizen. Ochoa signed with Tecos in 2006. He made 27 appearances, scoring twice.

Jesus Ochoa, Sammy's older brother, played for Schmid while with the Galaxy. He later played for Chivas USA.

Sounders FC hosts the Columbus Crew on Saturday. First kick is 1 p.m. PT on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field.